Ever since the Greeks were the head honchos we have believed that effective decision making was rationale process. You methodically gather all the information, carefully weigh up the options and make an objective, rational decision. Emotions were to be avoided at all costs because these might muddy up our thinking.

Trouble is, what we believe and what we do, are completely different. Recent brain research suggests that reason alone is not a good way to make decisions in a fast-moving, ever-changing environment. Patients that have had some parts of their brain damaged (concerned with their emotions) are simply not able to make up their minds as they descend into an endless loop of pros and cons for each potential option.

To quote from a recent book on the subject by Jonah Lehrer, The Decisive Moment, 2009, Pg. 5;

‘’The simple truth of the matter is that making good decisions requires us to use both sides of the mind. For too long, we’ve treated human nature as an either/or situation. We are either rational or irrational. We either rely on statistics o trust our gut instincts……

Not only are these dichotomies false, they’re destructive.’

Good decision making it seems is a dance between head and heart. There may be situations where a gut instinct decision might be appropriate (e.g. time is short, information is lacking and you have considerable experience). Other times a longer more rational approach is necessary (e.g. where there is one correct answer that will be arrived at through analysis).

For most situations however a combination of head and heart might be the best way to go. You can do this through speed thinking by listing the nine rational elements of a decision in two minutes (e.g. cost, pay back etc). Then you list the nine emotional elements in a decision (e.g. resistance to change, risk involved, fear of failure), again in two minutes. There is no right or wrong in this process. The aim is to simply make the rational and emotional elements explicit. By doing so you can talk to others about these factors and both factors are given equal weight. You then make a decision feeling confident that you have explored both the rational and emotional.

This head and heart decision making tool is an effective way of harnessing the best of both worlds. There is structure, thought, passion and speed.  When faced with a difficult decision give it a go. You will become a better, more confident and decisive decision maker.

Ken Hudson